Every day Metra provides one of the most earth-friendly ways to get around Chicagoland, and for this year’s Earth Day celebrations Metra is doing even more to help the planet and promote sustainable practices in the communities we serve.
“While Metra does its part every day to reduce pollution, we can always do more to help the planet,” Metra Executive Director/CEO Jim Derwinski. “This year’s Earth Day activities are intended to engage our riders and encourage them to protect our planet.”
Metra is kicking off its Earth Day campaign by hosting a Pages for the Planet book drive at its downtown stations on Monday, April 22. Metra riders are encouraged to participate by bringing a new or gently used book to any of our downtown stations between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Metra employees will be accepting your donations during the morning commute at Chicago Union Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center, LaSalle Street, Millennium and Van Buren stations.
The donated books will benefit the nonprofit Open Books Ltd. Open Books promotes literacy for Chicago’s youngest residents through programs that provide access to books through donations to schools and other nonprofits, one-on-one reading practice, pre-school literacy skill-building programs, story time programs, and parent and caregiver workshops. The group supports many of its efforts through the sale of new and donated books at its stores in the West Loop, Logan Square, North Lawndale and Pilsen. More information about Open Books, its programs and mission can be found at open-books.org.
On Tuesday, April 23, Metra will be at the Aon Center (200 E. Randolph) to participate in an Earth Day Fair starting at 11:30 a.m.
From Monday, April 22 through Thursday, April 25, Metra employees will be cleaning up trash along the tracks, removing dead plants and planting flowers and trees at various locations. Cleanup and gardening activities will be taking place along the Milwaukee District North Line, the Metra Electric Line, and the Rock Island Line.
On Saturday, April 27, Metra employees will be helping our neighbors at the Pullman National Historical Park, joining in their Community Cleanup Day. Members of the public are also encouraged to volunteer for this event, which will take place between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the park, 610 E. 111th Street in Chicago. No registration is required but all volunteers are asked to sign in at the park’s Visitor Center. The park is directly accessible from the 111th Street Station on Metra Electric Line.
Of course, Metra encourages the public to use public transit for the good of the environment – not to mention the benefits to your wallet, stress level and productivity. But we also hope to inspire the public to take other steps to observe Earth Day, which this year falls on Monday, April 22: Take a walk, plant a tree, ride your bike, plant a garden, recycle, or carpool. Go to earthday.org for more information on how your actions can help the planet we all share.
A list of some of Metra’s Earth Day activities is below. News media seeking to cover these activities are asked to contact Metra’s Media Relations Department in advance at 312-322-6776.
A version of this release is available in Spanish.
Metra Earth Week Activities April 22-27
Most activities will take place between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. News media planning coverage are asked to contact Metra’s Media Relations Department in advance at 321-322-6776.
Monday, April 22
- Pages for the Planet book drive at all five downtown Metra stations (from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Union Station, Ogilvie Transportation Center, LaSalle Street, Millennium and Van Buren stations)
- Milwaukee District North Line clean up trash on the embankment at Cicero Avenue near the Mayfair Station (start time TBD)
Tuesday, April 23
- Earth Day Fair at Aon Center 200 E. Randolph (11:30 a.m.)
- Metra Electric Line trash pickup along the tracks at two locations (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
- 103rd Street Station
- 130th Street and Indiana
Thursday, April 25 (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
- Rock Island Line
- 35th Street/Lou Jones Station – Trash cleanup and tree/flower planting
- 89th Street and Morgan – Metra Board members and executive staff to plant trees
- 103rd Street – Trash cleanup along the tracks
Saturday, April 27 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
- Metra Electric Line
- Pullman National Historical Park – Community Cleanup Day at the park